1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon holding member that holds an optical fiber ribbon in which an optical connector mounted on a substrate is attached to a distal end thereof, and also relates to an optical fiber ribbon holding method and an optical fiber ribbon bundle.
More specifically, the present invention relates to an optical fiber ribbon holding member for holding a plurality of optical fiber ribbons, to an optical fiber ribbon holding method using the optical fiber ribbon holding member, and to an optical fiber ribbon bundle that is formed from a plurality of optical fiber ribbons which are held by the optical fiber ribbon holding member.
2. Description of the Related Art
For example, in the case where a plurality of optical fiber ribbons are held in a laminated state, conventionally, a heat shrinkable tube is used as the optical fiber ribbon holding member that holds the optical fiber ribbons (hereinafter referred to as the ribbons according to the case), in which an optic path change type optical connector, which is mounted on an photoelectric composite substrate, is attached to a distal end of the optical fiber ribbon.
In a case where the optical fiber ribbons are laminated and held by the heat shrinkable tube, when the heat shrinkable tube covers the laminated optical fiber ribbons and heated at a high temperature of 100 degree or more, the heat shrinkable tube is shrunk to tighten and hold the laminated optical fiber ribbons.
As described above, the optical fiber ribbons held by the heat shrinkable tube are fixed at a device bedplate side by fixing a part of the heat shrinkable tube with, for example, a holding member fixture for fixing the holding member that is fixed at the periphery portion of the device bedplate to which a photoelectric composite substrate are mounted.
Each optical connector mounted on the distal end of each ribbon must be positioned and arranged on the photoelectric composite substrate accurately. However when the position of the ribbon that is laminated and held by the heat shrinkable tube is misaligned in a longitudinal direction, the optical connector on the distal end of the misaligned ribbon is misaligned with the position to be mounted on the substrate. As a result, the accurate positioning and arrangement is no longer possible.
Once the heat shrinkable tube has been shrunk, the heat shrinkable tube cannot return to the configuration prior to shrinkage. Therefore, when the optical fiber ribbons are shipped as being held by the heat shrinkable tube at the time of shipping, there is a problem that a user cannot move and readjust the position of each of the optical fiber ribbons to the proper position.
Meanwhile, as described above, it is required to heat the heat shrinkable tube to a high temperature in order to hold the optical fiber ribbons by the heat shrinkable tube, so there is also a problem that the user who receives the product cannot easily perform the operation.
Accordingly, an optical fiber ribbon holding member is desired in which the heating operation by the user is not required and readjustment of the position of the optical fiber ribbons can be performed.
In addition, for example, while mounting an optical fiber ribbon to a distal end of which an optical path conversion element is amounted on a substrate such as a photoelectric composite substrate, a holding member may be used for holding the optical fiber ribbon to a distal end of which the optical path conversion element are mounted.
The holding member, for example includes a holding member main body that houses a plurality of optical fiber ribbons in a laminated state, and a lid body for covering the main body. The plurality of optical fiber ribbons are pressed by a pressing portion provided on the lid body, so that the optical fiber ribbons can be held without causing a misalignment.
However, in a conventional holding member, the optical fiber ribbons are pressed by the pressing portion of the lid body in order to held it, a considerable insertion loss is generated caused by the pressing.